Verbena plant named ‘VEAZ0039’

ABSTRACT

A new  Verbena  plant named ‘VEAZ0039’ particularly distinguished by the small sized inflorescences, the flowers with lime green lower petals and lavender purple upper petals, dark green, undivided leaves, and an upright plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Verbena hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘VEAZ0039’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Verbena, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘VEAZ0039’.

‘VEAZ0039’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has small sized inflorescences, lilac and lemon flowers, medium green, un-divided leaves and an upright plant habit.

‘VEAZ0039’ originated from an open pollination made in August 2012 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was a plant designated ‘P3088-4’, having a red flower color. The male parent of ‘VEAZ0039’ is unknown.

The resulting seed was sown in February 2013 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. ‘VEAZ0039’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in May 2013.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘VEAZ0039’ was accomplished when stem tip cuttings were propagated in June 2013 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in the fall of 2013, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘VEAZ0039’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘VEAZ0039’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

‘VEAZ0039’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘VEAZ0039’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Verbena as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘VEAZ0039’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type.

The photographic drawing in FIG. 1 shows a close view of an inflorescence of the new plant, and in FIG. 2 a whole flowering plant.

The aforementioned photographs were taken in July 2016 in Andijk, The Netherlands. The plants were about 12 weeks old and were grown in 12 cm pots.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘VEAZ0039’ AND A MOST SIMILAR VARIETY ‘Lanai Vintage Rose’ (‘VEAZ0015’, ‘VEAZ0039’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,126) Flower color: Lilac and Lime Rose and lime Plant habit: Upright Spreading Leaf size: Small Medium

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Herbaceous, upright and free             branching.         -   Plant height.—19.0 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—23.0 cm.         -   Plant width.—33.0 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate and produce roots.—11-14 days at             about 22 degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N155C but whiter. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 145B.         -   Immature, leaf color, lower surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137B.         -   Mature, leaf color, lower surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Length.—Approximately 3.5 cm.         -   Width.—3.5-4.0 cm.         -   Shape.—Acute.         -   Base shape.—Obtuse.         -   Apex shape.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Slightly Pubescent.         -   Lower surface.—Slightly Pubescent.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 145C.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 145B.         -   Pattern of veining.—Pinnate.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 145B.         -   Petiole length.—0.4 cm.         -   Petiole width.—0.3 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute. -   Stem:     -   -   Branching characteristics.—Side branches develop potentially             at each node.         -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—12 to 20.         -   Color of stem.—RHS 145B.         -   Stem length.—About 15.0-21.0 cm.         -   Stem width.—About 0.3 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—About 2.2 to 2.8 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute.         -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 138C.         -   Length of peduncle.—From 2.0 to 3.2 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.4 cm.         -   Texture.—Canescent, also short, transparent glandular hairs. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Umbel-like, but actually a spike, umbrella-shaped.         -   Blooming habit.—Flowers continuously during the summer             months.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 5-6             days in the greenhouse.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—38 at various stages at             development.         -   Horizontal diameter of inflorescence.—5.9-6.4 cm.         -   Depth of inflorescence.—3.4 cm.         -   Number of florets and buds per inflorescence.—Approximately             15-19. -   Bud:     -   -   Color.—RHS N155C.         -   Length.—0.5 cm (corolla only).         -   Width.—0.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Tubular with bulbous apex. -   Floret:     -   -   Form.—Sessile; salver-shaped, composed of 5 partly fused             petals with a base of a narrow tube.         -   Immature color, upper surface.—RHS 155B.         -   Immature color, lower surface.—RHS 155A. Florets at the             center of the spike.         -   Mature color, upper surface.—3 lower petals: RHS 151C. 2             upper petals: RHS N81D.         -   Mature color, lower surface.—3 lower petals: RHS 154D. 2             upper petals: RHS 84D. Florets on the perimeter of the             spike.         -   Mature color, upper surface.—RHS 151C.         -   Mature color, lower surface.—RHS 154D.         -   Floret diameter.—3.5 cm.         -   Floret length (depth).—3.2 cm.         -   Petal length.—1.2 cm.         -   Petal width.—1.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Obcordate.         -   Apex shape.—Emarginate.         -   Margin.—Wavy.         -   Petal texture, upper surface.—Papillose; glabrous.         -   Petal texture, lower surface.—Papillose, glabrous.         -   Corolla tube length.—2.3 cm.         -   Corolla tube width.—0.3 cm.         -   Corolla tube color inside.—RHS 8D.         -   Tube color outside.—RHS 154D.         -   Corolla texture, inside.—Pubescent.         -   Corolla texture, outside.—Glabrous.         -   Throat hair color.—RHS 155D but whiter.         -   Corolla lobes.—Free.         -   Presence of anthocyanin on the calyx.—No anthocyanin.         -   Undulation of the petal.—Medium.         -   Corolla eye.—Small eye always stays white. -   Calyx:     -   -   Type.—Five sepals whose margins are fused to each other             along their length, with a transparent membrane of less than             0.1 cm in width and with one smaller sepal attached to the             base of the calyx.         -   Color of sepals.—RHS 138B.         -   Length of sepals.—1.0 cm.         -   Width of sepals.—0.2 cm.         -   Sepal shape.—Fused, linear.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Pubescent. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—         -   Pistil.—1.         -   Pistil length.—1.7 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS N144D.         -   Style length.—1.5 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 144B.         -   Ovary color.—RHS 144C.         -   Ovary length.—0.2 cm.         -   Ovary width.—0.1 cm.         -   Androecium.—         -   Stamens.—Anthers and filaments fused to upper half of             corolla tube; four anthers with two pollen sacs per anther.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS 151D.         -   Filament length.—0.2 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 151C.         -   Anther length.—0.1 cm.         -   Pollen amount.—None observed. -   Fertility/seed set: Neither seed nor fruit production has been     observed to date. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Verbena has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Verbena plant named ‘VEAZ0039’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 